1 week Ago
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Rochester Americans coach Michael Leone has come to expect that Noah Ostlund will be at the rink hours before practice is scheduled to start.
That’s the reputation the Buffalo Sabres’ 2022 first-round pick has developed among the coaching staff during his first year in North America. The 20-year-old spent two seasons in Sweden before coming to the AHL, and he already has the habits of a pro. He’s regularly watching video and going through an extensive off-rice routine to get his body ready for practice.
Advertisement “He practices like his life depends on it,” Leone said this week before Ostlund got called up to make his NHL debut in the Buffalo Sabres’ 3-2 shootout win against the Lightning on Saturday. Ostlund smiled when asked where that work ethic comes from. “I don’t see it as work,” Ostlund said after practice Friday.
“I just love hockey and want to get as good as possible.” So far, so good. Ostlund was recently named the AHL rookie of the month.
He has 36 points in 44 games for the Amerks this season after starting the year with one point in his first 11 games. Ostlund was battling through a hand injury that required surgery. Amerks assistant coach Vinny Prospal said, “He came back a totally different player.
” When Ostlund first came over from Europe, the coaching staff talked about whether he would start at wing or center. When Jiri Kulich got called up to the AHL, Ostlund got an opportunity to center Rochester’s top line and hasn’t looked back. He has 14 goals since the AHL’s All-Star break, and the Amerks have 58 percent of the goals when he’s on the ice at even strength.
“He’s a relentless worker,” Leone said. “He’s an every-dayer. He’s a quiet leader with the group.
He’s playing 1C in the AHL and the consistency, he’s got 14 goals since the All-Star break and it’s his play away from the puck that stands out. He’s a winning hockey player. He’s everything you want.
” Prospal echoed that, calling Ostlund “a coach’s dream” because of the way he works and brings others along with him. The Amerks use him on the power play and penalty kill. He has three short-handed goals.
Coming out of the draft, Ostlund was lauded for his skating, 200-foot game and playmaking. None of that has changed, but Ostlund also has put work in on his shooting. He has 19 goals in the AHL this season.
If there’s a knock on him at this point, it’s that he’s dealt with injuries the last few years. He’s listed at 5-foot-11 and 171 pounds. Coaches see a player who doesn’t use size as an impediment.
Advertisement “The amount of hits he takes to make plays in hard areas, you would think he’s 6-2, 6-3,” Leone said. “He’s fearless.” Added Prospal: “I know everybody is saying, ‘Oh is he strong enough?’ He’s proving every freaking game that he is a good enough player to go around it.
The strength and the finish of his growth and development, it will come ...
He’s not afraid to go into the corner to take a hit and make a play. You don’t often see it with young prospects that they would be willing to play that complete game. Noah is a complete hockey player.
All he needs is time to develop.” This call-up gives Ostlund a chance to get a taste of the NHL. In his debut, Ostlund got just 8:37 of ice time, 2:04 of which came on the power play as part of Buffalo’s second unit.
Ostlund played on the fourth line between Beck Malenstyn and Sam Lafferty, mostly because Ruff didn’t want to disrupt the other three lines that have been playing well. Ostlund took a tripping penalty but was engaged in puck battles throughout the game. He still has to develop more in Rochester.
He’ll get to be one of the key players during the Amerks’ playoff run and will likely be back there next season. Ruff said he would have liked to have gotten Ostlund more ice time in his debut, but the Lightning were shortening their bench and the Sabres followed suit. He thought Ostlund made smart plays in the defensive zone.
“He’s going to play some hockey for us and I thought that was a good start,” Ruff said. “A win in his first NHL game.” 1.
Tage Thompson hit the 40-goal mark for the second time in his career with a powerful wrist shot from the slot. He leads the league with 30 five-on-five goals and he’s second in the NHL in goals since the 4 Nations tournament. “I thought he was dominant tonight,” Ruff said.
TAGE THOMPSON HITS 40 GOALS ⚔️ #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/1jdHhkyoNR — Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) April 6, 2025 It’s worth pointing out that Thompson has done this with a few different linemates throughout the year.
Ruff shifted Thompson to the wing, and it seems clear that’s benefited Thompson. Lately, he’s been playing with Zach Benson and Jiri Kulich, two of the youngest players on Buffalo’s roster. And still, Thompson is producing the way he is.
Thompson was quick to credit Benson, who forced a turnover and got the assist on Thompson’s goal. Advertisement “His tenacity on the puck, he’s a little rat,” Thompson said. “I love the way he plays.
He’s hard working, moves his feet. It doesn’t matter the size of the guy he’s going against, he’s going to come out with the puck. For me when I’m playing with him I just try to put it in areas where he’s going to get it.
I think you see that on that goal. Place the puck in the corner, he goes in there, strips and makes a great play to get it to the slot. He’s got some really good hands and vision.
Pair that with his work ethic and he’s a lot of fun to play with. 2. Jason Zucker got his 20th goal of the season and added to his team lead in power-play goals.
Once again, Zucker scored right at the front of the net, grabbing a loose puck and quickly depositing it into the back of the net. The Sabres could use another player with Zucker’s net-front skills in their forward group next season. 3.
James Reimer now has wins in six straight starts. He made some key saves throughout the game and stood tall in the shootout. Zucker joked that the 37-year-old goalie is “about to turn to dust with how old he is.
” “He’s a heck of a guy,” Zucker said. “He’s a hell of a teammate and had an amazing career. He’s showing why right now.
” Reimer told me after practice Friday that he’s going to sit down with his family after the season and discuss what the future holds. His kids are getting older, so he thinks whatever he decides needs to be a family decision, especially considering how much he’s moved around the last few seasons. But Reimer certainly has looked like someone who has something left in the tank the last couple of weeks.
“There’s the strictly hockey side of it, the family side of it, the whole life part of it,” Reimer said. “I’m just enjoying these last couple of weeks here and then when the season is over, we’ll take some time as a family, see where we’re at and go from there.” 4.
Josh Norris skated on his own on Friday, but Ruff still didn’t commit to a timetable for his return from a mid-body injury. At this point, there are seven games left in the season, so the Sabres are running out of time to get him back into game action. The same goes for Jordan Greenway, who also hasn’t practiced with the team since leaving Buffalo’s March 23 game against Winnipeg with a lower-body injury.
Ruff said he would like to get them both back in, but time will tell. Tyson Kozak, meanwhile, is dealing with a hip injury and is week-to-week. He’s unlikely to play for the Sabres again this season but should be able to play for the Amerks in the AHL playoffs.
(Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig / Imagn Images).
